We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:52:00 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification The Armorer, as he has mentioned, is the namesake for a family member who was a veteran of the Orphan Brigade, the Kentucky Confederates. And the blood runs strong. Pappy and I share a taste for tweaking. Especially members of the 4th Estate. Pappy was an original joiner of the Brigade, and was with them to the bitter end. The Brigade was present at most of the big battles in the West (almost all losses for the South) and was, over time, effectively destroyed. The only real win in their column was Chickamauga, where the remnants of the Brigade were... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html Wed, 20 Sep 2006 07:26:05 -0600 I am a proud alum of the Army unit nicknamed the Rock of Chickamauga, the 19th Infantry Regiment. The 19th US stood along with the rest of BG John King's Regular Brigade to help hold Snodgrass Hill. So we earned the sobriquet as well as Old Pap. The 19th US also holds the distinction of probably having killed Lincoln's brother in law, BG Benjamin Helm. He was killed when the 1st Battalion, 19th US commanded by MAJ S. K. Dawson fired a massed volley into the oncoming Kentucky Confederates and Helm fell. It was said that Helm's death effected Lincoln as much as the death of his son Willie. Great site, BTW. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50713 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50713 Thu, 21 Sep 2006 10:08:59 -0600 OH!, yeah. What y'all said. I mind the time that living in Atlanta was getting too much on my nerves, and I had a full tank of gas in the Mazda (from Hiroshima, honest!) pickup, and decided to go for a late-night, aimless cruise along the highways. Along about dawn, I saw a sign directing to the Chickamauga battlefield. I went there. I parked. I walked around. I looked at the monuments. I walked the assault path of one of the Confederate attacks. (Having not slept the previous night, and being somewhat dehydrated, and it being a hot part of the year, I think I was able to assimilate some of the feelings of those guys.) Later, I went to the museum, where they keep all of the shoulder-fired weapons behind glass. I made a fool of myself there, talking about the coffee grinder in the buttstock of the Sharps (or was it a Spencer?) While standing next to somebody who had one in his collection. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50703 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50703 Thu, 21 Sep 2006 00:22:36 -0600 And... Pyhrric, too. Like many of the South's victories, especially operationally offensive ones - tactical wins by the lights of the day, in that they possessed the field - but operational and strategic losses because of the cost, and their inability to follow-up, whether due to losses or logistics. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50698 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50698 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 21:06:47 -0600 I've been out to Chickamauga (which, by the way, is a Cherokee word meaning "Bloody River," though I have seen "Stagnant River" and "Death River" as alternative explanations. I think the more militant names are the accurate ones -- being located on the easiest land route through the mountains of North Georgia, it was surely the location of many battles between raiding parties in the time before history). The battle we know was the last of them -- it has so long been peaceful now that the deer will come up to your car in herds. It was a fascinating moment in military history, one of the times when a bad decision (I refer to Braxton Brag's decision not to follow up on his destruction of the enemy line) could be said to have changed the result of the war. And yet, the Rebel bragging to the side, it was an accidental victory -- the fog of war decided it, more than anything else. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50696 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50696 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:03:15 -0600 the only reason i watched that whole movie was to hear that one line... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50686 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50686 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 15:49:25 -0600 BUWAHAHAHAHA... You made Major Mike say "huckleberry" http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50685 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50685 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 15:19:35 -0600 John That's a great story. Last year, in early November, I had my forst opportunity to visit the field at Chickamauga. It was shortly after dawn when I arrived, and a mist still lay upon the land. The field itself is spectacular. As I wandered the land I saw 13 deer, and, in a most unususal occurance, a flock of wild turkey. There were at least two dozen. The visitor center presentation gives the average visitor a good basic understanding of what happened upon the field, and the park service has done an outstanding job of maintaining the site. As someone who has frequently walked the battlefields of the Army of Northern Virginia, I really appreciated the opportunity to discover something new, and because of the abundant wildlife, quite magical. Break - Break - Break I hope you will accept condolances from another Lab lover over your loss. My beloved Dutchess and Dixie have both gone to the great duck blind in the sky and I know how you must feel. Marine6 Sends http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50681 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50681 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 14:25:47 -0600 my great-great-grampa never met that other guy that was there (or was he?) that day either... but i'm yer huckleberry too! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50677 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50677 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 13:28:26 -0600 http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/1864/cd/cdjacket3.htm Thanks for another great post. If you ever want to get together to talk about CW stuff, then I'm your huckleberry! Respects, AW1 Tim]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50668 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50668 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 11:26:09 -0600 John, I enjoy your site. Thought you'd enjoy this story about Chickamuaga from Brown's Book of Anecdotes about Union General Benjamin Franklin Butler: A confederate soldier, brought before Butler to take the oath of allegiance at the end of the Civil War, impudently remarked, "We gave you hell at Chickamauga, General!" The furious Butler warned him that if he did not take the oath immediately he would be shot. With some reluctance, the rebel duly took the oath. Then he looked Butler in the eye and said, "General, I suppose I am a good Yankee and citizen of the United States now?" The general replied benignly, "I hope so." Well, General, the rebels sure gave us hell at Chickamauga, didn't they?" http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50661 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50661 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 09:25:40 -0600 Well, not anytime soon, I assure you, now that you planted *that* seed. The shotgun in question is not, to my knowledge, in the possession of any of the members of the family, more's the pity. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50659 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50659 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 09:11:52 -0600 RIP Pappy... ..and do i detect the glimmer of a shot gun Whatzis on the horizon? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50656 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/chickamauga.html#comment-50656 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 08:42:50 -0600